Upgrading my LTD SC-608b(Pickups, nut, saddles)

[Shredward]

Hey guys I'm brand new to this forum and I was wondering if you guys could help me out. I just received a new LTD SC-608b as a gift(i know right?) from a friend and I've got a bit of money set aside for upgrading it. I'm looking to:
1. Replace the pickups
2. Replace the nut with a Graphtech Black Tusq nut
3. Replace the F#'s saddle with one of the shorter hipshot saddles for better intonation

So yeah first off, I was wondering what you guys think I should do as far as the pickups are concerned. I personally dislike the way they put a humbucker in the middle position rather than the neck but I guess I can't complain seeing as how the guitar was free haha. Idk I'm a huge fan of BKP's. I've owned several sets so I'm leaning towards them but I am however open to other pickups. The only other ones I was really looking at were the EMG 808x's and the lace xbars but there are some problems there. I've never liked the compressed feel of EMG's...ever. People say the 808x's really clean up the dynamics and wipe away most of the compression but the sound clips I've heard fail to impress 100% of the time. If you guys could send me some clips(besides the Tosin Abasi ones) demonstrating good tone on these guys, I'd really appreciate it. Besides the EMG's, I've heard a lot of good things about the Lace Xbars. Anyone have any clips of them playing anything distorted? And finally, BKP's. I've had a lot of them but the two that stand out to me are the aftermath and the cold sweat. I have to say that I love the Coldsweat in the neck and the Aftermath in the bridge for its chord definition. The problem with me choosing the coldsweat for the neck is that it wouldn't really be going in the neck position. It's in the middle. What the hell would that even sound like? Anyways, thanks a lot for your time guys.

 

[TheSixthWheel]

Probably not going to be the most useful reply, so I'll apologise for that early. If you're already going to the trouble of replacing the pickups, replacing the nut and replacing the F#'s saddle, why not think about either yourself or a professional filling the middle pickup cavity and routing a new neck cavity? Anything's possible, and if it puts to rest some of your concerns regarding whichever pickup you'll be using for it, then it'd probably be worth it. You're obviously not alone in disliking the middle pickup position, but most people who end up living with it are doing so because they can't be fucked doing the level of mods you've already got planned for it, routing a new neck pickup would be small output of work/money for great benefit over the life of the guitar, IMO.
Sorry, I'm not gonna be much help with the pickups, they're so much more subjective and personal.

 

[stuglue]

Hey,I had a guitar with a middle position humbucker, it wasn't hugely different in tone from the neck position. As for 8 string pickups how about the dimarzio d activator as an option?

 

[Shredward]

Probably not going to be the most useful reply, so I'll apologise for that early. If you're already going to the trouble of replacing the pickups, replacing the nut and replacing the F#'s saddle, why not think about either yourself or a professional filling the middle pickup cavity and routing a new neck cavity? Anything's possible, and if it puts to rest some of your concerns regarding whichever pickup you'll be using for it, then it'd probably be worth it. You're obviously not alone in disliking the middle pickup position, but most people who end up living with it are doing so because they can't be fucked doing the level of mods you've already got planned for it, routing a new neck pickup would be small output of work/money for great benefit over the life of the guitar, IMO.
Sorry, I'm not gonna be much help with the pickups, they're so much more subjective and personal.

Idk I'd rather not spend any more money that I have to in that respect. I dislike the sound of it but playing on a guitar with a middle position humbucker doesn't really bother me or get in the way of any established technique I have. I just talked to Tim Mills over at BKP's and he told me that if I went with an emerald in the neck, it would end up sounding more like a normal neck humbucker because it offers a lot more bass response so it would compensate for the shorter distance from the bridge. Anyone have any experience with the Emerald?

 

[Shredward]

Hey,I had a guitar with a middle position humbucker, it wasn't hugely different in tone from the neck position. As for 8 string pickups how about the dimarzio d activator as an option?

I've never really liked the dimarzio stuff for some reason but I'm open to anything. I didn't really like the clips on their site or the one guy with the Agile on youtube, is there anything else you could show me?

 

[stuglue]

I suggest you contact forum member Fred the Shred. He's a dimarzio endorsee and plays an 8 string